Both GPT and MBR are two partition schemes used to boot the operating system. MBR is used by older operating systems while GPT is more modern and is indispensable for systems in UEFI mode . If you have wondered how to know what type of format your GPT or MBR hard drive has, here we explain it in detail.
Index( )
- How to identify the hard drive partition of your Windows 11 computer?
- What are the steps to know if the hard drive of your Windows 11 PC is GPT or MBR?
- From disk manager
- Using CMD
- How can you convert your format disk without losing existing data?
- What is the best format for the hard drive of your Windows 11 computer?
How to identify the hard drive partition of your Windows 11 computer?
The way to identify the hard drive partition of your Windows 11 computer is to use the disk manager or by using the CMD command console. Either way, you will be able to check what the partition scheme is when managing your hard drive .
What are the steps to know if the hard drive of your Windows 11 PC is GPT or MBR?
The steps to know if the hard drive of your Windows 11 PC is GPT or MBR will depend on the method to follow; Either from the disk manager or using CMD you will be able to find information regarding the name of the storage device partitions , their capacity and the partition scheme it has.
From disk manager
It is possible to know what type of format your hard disk has from the disk manager. To access it, you will need to click on the right mouse click, after that go to the start menu. Then you must click on ‘Disk Administrator’. You can also press the ‘Win + X’ key combination to enter the menu and choose the ‘Disk Manager’ option.
In the pop-up window of the ‘ Disk Manager ‘ you will see the list of partitions that your hard disk has, the capacity and the available space. Press the right click of your mouse on the hard disk, after that you must click on ‘Properties’. Finally, the ‘Volumes’ tab.
Check the format of your hard drive from the ‘partition style’ option. There, it shows if it presents the scheme of ‘GUID Partition Table’ or ‘GPT’ or of ‘Main Boot Record’ or ‘MBR’. You can also check the status of the controller, the amount of unallocated space, and the space reserved for the operating system and other files.
Using CMD
To find out what type of format your hard drive has using CMD or the command console, you must enter the start menu and type ‘cmd’ in the space for the search bar right next to the magnifying glass icon. Then click on ‘Run as administrator’.
Another way to open the command console in Windows 11 is to use the ‘Run’ function. Press the ‘Win + R’ keys, type System32 in the text box of the ‘Run’ window and press the ‘OK’ button. Type in the folder browser ‘cmd’ and right click on ‘cmd.exe’. Then click on ‘Run as administrator’.
Once you enter the CMD tool type the command ‘diskpart’ (without quotes) and press the ‘Enter’ key. Next, type the command ‘list disk’ (without quotes) and press ‘Enter’. Check the last column related to the ‘GPT’ schema. If an asterisk appears on each partition, it means that the format type of your hard drive is GPT.
How can you convert your format disk without losing existing data?
You can convert your format disk without losing existing data. To achieve this, you must download the AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional program . The application is one of the most prominent utilities if you intend to convert the file system of your computer.
With the AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional application it is not necessary to erase internal partitions since the process does not affect the operating system or the data stored on the hard disk. Therefore, once you carry out the conversion, you will be able to start Windows 11 without problems as well as access all your files.
Before converting, check from BIOS if your motherboard supports EFI / UEFI boot mode . If this is not possible, then your operating system will not be able to boot successfully after reformatting your hard drive. We also recommend scheduling a backup before applying the conversion.
Once you download the AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional application, access this tool and right-click on the disk you are going to modify. Later, click on the option that best suits your needs, being able to choose between the GPT or MBR format as the case may be. Press the ‘OK’ button and click ‘Apply’ to start the format change process .
What is the best format for the hard drive of your Windows 11 computer?
Without a doubt, the best format for your Windows 11 computer’s hard drive is GPT. It is certainly a scheme designed specifically for more modern computers that have 64-bit system technology, but without a doubt it is the option you should consider.
One of the most interesting aspects of GPT is that it can handle partitions that even reach the bizarre number of 256. In turn, this format also gives us the ability to create up to 128 partitions. All of the above undoubtedly make GPT ideal for recent operating systems and teams with new devices.
